Le Conservatoire de STEP
THE CONSERVATORY Le Conservatoire de STEP (or the STEP Conservatory) is a studio owned and run by Ardette Bombaerts. It's a large property in the Square District, built from a refurbished warehouse. This lends it high ceilings and a sprawling floor space, perfectly suited for the kind of Work Ms. Bombaerts does. The Conservatory only accepts students age 18 and over. This is Ms. Bombaerts' personal policy. We're dealing with vibe, here, kids, and vibe can be volatile. All dancers must be legally adults and held liable for injury to themselves or others. No children. Ardette only has one building, and she won't have it be lost to a tantrum. Or puberty. Do your own bloody parenting. Ardette Bombaerts offers private, vibe-specific training and choreo sessions for dancers who can afford it - and some who can't, occasionally - and this is her claim to fame in Step City. It's made Ardette allies on both sides, and it's likely made her students some enemies, but it's all business, darling. Bombaerts also holds open classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Classes taught by Ardette herself will range from ballet to jazz to contemporary. These classes are scheduled based on demand, and participation is based on number of open slots, and, of course, payment. She's considered bringing in guest teachers to beef up her studio's repertoire, style-wise, but the good ones refuse to teach in the Square District, and the bad ones will never see the inside of her studio. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, Ardette rents out the studios to steppers wishing to hold their own sessions or rehearsals in a proper studio space. But be warned; even if Ms. Bombaerts isn't heading your rehearsal, her rules still apply, and she will ''be watching you like a hawk. Open classes and studio rental schedules will be adjusted to accommodate pre-scheduled private sessions. Deal with it. The Conservatory is closed on Sundays. The Conservatory is open to all factions. Respect the space. Respect your fellow steppers. Respect your studio director. Respect the art of dance. The Square District is a horrible place to sustain grevious bodily harm... THE STUDIOS All studios are equipped with barres, full-length mirrors, and individual stereo systems. All three studios have a one-way observation window so spectators can watch the classes without distracting the dancers. During private sessions, these observation windows will be obsured by an opaque screen. *'STUDIO A''' - The largest studio in the facility, and where Ms. Bombaerts' open classes are held. Free-floating birch floors, laid over two-inch carpet foam and covered with marley flooring. *'STUDIO B '- The second-largest studio in the facility, and usually where Bombaerts' private sessions are held, though a dancer's vibe-related needs may dictate where the session is held. Also free-floating floors with marley. *'STUDIO C' - The smallest studio, and the studio that's most frequently rented out. Hardwood flooring, ideal for tappers. *'LOBBY - '''An empty reception desk greets you. There are benches for seating, and posters and photographs lining the walls; a bookcase of dance/vibe-related books and photo albums; A water cooler; a large corkboard with schedule updates, studio rules, and the weekly sign-up sheet... HOUSE RULES *NO BATTLES *NO INTER-FACTION CONFLICTS *Students must be 18+ *No smoking *No roughhousing *No chewing gum or food in the studios (Food is allowed in the lobby) *Water is the only beverage allowed in the studios *No street shoes on the studio floors *When in session, students must wear black, grey, or white. NO FACTION COLORS. *When in session, dancewear only. No streetwear or outer garments may be worn over dancewear in any class. *Hair must be securely fastened out of the way of the face. Long hair must be tied up off the neck. *Cell phones must be silenced and stowed during or between sessions. If your phone goes off during a class, ''you're not getting it back. *You must sign up for open classes two days in advance. *All tuition is due in advance and is non-refundable. *Students are not allowed into class more than 15 minutes after it has begun. *Students arriving in class between 1 and 10 minutes late must make their excuses to the teacher and ask the teacher’s permission to participate in the class. The teacher may withhold such permission if a tardy arrival would cause potential injury to a student from lack of essential warm-up, or hinder the progress of the remainder of the class. Also, because it's goddamned bloody rude. *Don't call Ms. Bombaerts "Madam" or "Madame." *Don't call Ms. Bombaerts "babe." *Goons discouraged. *No recruiting on the premesis. Class cost and payment schedule are negotiable. Le Conservatoire de STEP is not liable for any personal injury sustained by students on the studio premises or as a result of students' participation in class or rehearsal. The Conservatory is not responsible for personal property lost or stolen from its premises. The Conservatory is not liable for personal injury or death sustained in subsequent client battles.''' OTHER Ardette Bombaerts lives in a factory apartment right above the studio. The studio, from the outside, looks like just another old Square warehouse. You have to know about it to see it, or stumble upon it by pure accident. Let's just say Ardette had to choose between having a sound system and having a sign... Category:Venues Category:Grey District